They live within comic books, TV shows and movies. They fight the forces of evil with amazing powers, skill and strength. No they are not the men clad in red and blue spandex who are loved by the people they help and save. Stand for all things American and given the keys to the city. No... they are a much darker brood of hero....those who hide in the shadows and strike when needed. Creatures who are at most... less then even human, who are cursed to walk the Earth as beasts and are the classic anti-hero's of story telling. They are The Dark Hero's of the comics who are vampires, monsters and big green mean Hulks who are not looking for the glory or the girl but in their own little way have changed the face of crime-fighting forever. They are disfigured humans, demons and avenging angels who take it upon themselves to right the wrongs of others....even if its not according to the law. They are the bad..bad boys of the hero world and for the horror genre, they are just the thing that makes darker heros so loved by us horror fans. Note to all readers, some of these dark hero's have allready been featured within our Creature Feature department as others will someday also take their place among our Creature Feature showcase of articles.

The Demons

Hellboy Created by writer and artist Mike Mignola in 1993, Hellboy tells the story of a demon child who is found and raised by professor Trevor Bruttenholm who teaches the little creature about right and wrong and good and evil. The child grows up to become a monster hunter and work for The Bureau For Paranormal Research & Defense. Hellboy from Dark Horse Comics is a powerful creature and among his superhuman strengths, his bright red skin, his filed down horns is his biggest asset of all, an over sized right hand made of stone that can smash through anything. Although Hellboy may not look it from his scary demon appearance but this big bad ass looking monster is really just a soft hearted guy on the inside. He has a thing for cats...lots of cats and a sweet spot for his girl Liz who in her own right has powers of her own to start fires out of thin air.

In 2004, Hellboy became a hit movie with genre actor Ron Perlman stepping into the role of the big red guy. The movie went on to spawn a follow up film and two straight to DVD animated movies with the stars of the live action films returning to voice the animated features. Along with comics, graphic novels and movies, Hellboy has also had his own video games and a series of novels featuring the hero demon as well. Not bad for the son of the devil.

Spawn Like with Hellboy, Spawn is a creature from Hell but this nightmare was once a man named Al Simmons (Yeah that's right a dark hero that has my name) who through no fault of his own, was draged to hell and turned into a hell-spawn by The Devil to do his bidding. Ripped away from his wife and child through death, now Simmons must return to Earth as this creature who waits to be sent into battle as the leader of Hells army to fight for The Lord of Darkness named here as Malebolgia. In life, Al was a good man but his job as an U.S. assinssn gave him no grace in God’s eyes and so he was sent directly to Hell. Now as Spawn, he only wants to be human again, see his wife and little girl but his new asighnment as The Devil's solder keeps him from those he loves. Spawn is one of the most coolest of all the superhero's ever made. He is dark with a long flowing crimson cape that seems to float on its own in the air. His eyes glow a bright neon green and his voice is deep, spooky and raw. I dare to say that he is almost cooler than my beloved Batman.

Spawn created by artist Todd McFarlane was the top selling comic of Image Comics since his debut in 1992. In 1997 HBO ran an all adult animated series of Spawn that was NOT for the kids. "Spawn" the series wasa very dark show with the lead character standing in the shadows most of the time. He was very scary and a well made series that ran from 1997 to 1999. Also in 97 Spawn also had a live action feature film with Michael Jai White as the dark hero and John Leguizamo as Spawns adversary the creepy creature known only as Clown. To help push his creation Todd McFarlane started his own toy line to get the character of Spawn out into the world with his own line of Spawn action figures. Although Spawn rise to fame was fast and he ruled the 1990s, Spawn sadly faded off and is not as seen today as he once was. Yet his mark on the comic world is still ever present

Ghost Rider He is The Devil's bounty hunter known as The Ghost Rider. They are men who have made deals with the dark beast and now must do his bidding. Like Spawn, Ghost Rider is used as a tool to do as The Devil wants until he beats Satan and uses his powers for a more noble cause. Unlike Spawn who must stay a monster hidden in the shadows or Hellyboy who was born a demon, Ghost Rider can become human again and uses the creature within him as his version of slipping into a costume only his face burns off and his skull face is incased within a halo of fire. In fact, not only is his head burning but the flames also work their way down and over his motorcycle as well. By day, this dark hero is Johnny Blaze, stunt rider but when evil is a foot he changes into The Ghost Rider and mounts his Hell Bike. With black leather biker jacket, chains as weapons and a bad ass train of thought, this hero don't just bring the bad guy to justice as so much as do it and leave a lasting impression on their soul forever.

Published by Marvel Comics and created by Roy Thomas, Gary Friedrich and artist Mike Ploog in 1972, Ghost Rider may have never become as big as some of Marvel's other comic book titles like the ones of say Spider Man or The Fantastic Four but his stake on fans of a more darker nature loved the demon rider and in 2007 "Ghost Rider" the movie hit theaters with actor Nicolas Cage playing the burnning skull hero. In 2012 "Ghost Rider" was followed by the very cool title of "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" with Cage returning to play the demon rider.

The Monsters

The Hulk Don't make him mad....you wouldn't like him when he's mad. He's big green and mean....he is The Hulk. When doctor Bruce Banner exposes himself to gamma radian he becomes something more than human whenever his temper flares. The once soft spoken man in his un-human rage becomes a creature unlike anything seen before as he bursts out of his shirts (but never his pants), his skin grows green and his body size grows like a football player from Hell. His power is unmatched by even the biggest army and maybe the strongest hero ever created since Superman.

Created in 1962 by comic legend Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, "The Incredible Hulk" comic book #1 hit stands in May of that year and this monster hero has never stopped selling out. Brought to the small screen in 1978 and ran for four years on CBS network. Bill Bixby played Dr. Banner for the series called David and playing his green nasty alter ego was body builder Lou Ferrigno as the power house monster in ripped jeans. The series shortly returned a few years later with "The Return of The Incredible Hulk" in 1988 as a TV made movie one of three and ending with "The Death of The Incredible Hulk" before the sad and un-timely death of actor Bill Bixby.

In 2003, a feature film was made now with an all CGI Hulk that although closer to that of the comic book hero was not very welcomed by fans. In 2008, film maker tried again with a new movie that did hit a little bigger. Now as of this writing in-fact in May 3rd 2012, The Hulk hits the big screen once again as past of the new superhero movie The Avengers and teamed with Captain America, Iron Man and Thor.

The Thing He is the forth member of the Fantastic Four and the most stand out of this quotient of super beings. Sure there is the invisible girl and the guy made of fire and the one of the rubber arms and other parts but its that of Ben Grimm, The Thing, who hits our list today. Unlike the others, poor Ben is transformed into a monster made of stone and can't fit into his own jeans let a lone our human world. Yet this unstoppable Thing can bash through anything and has far beyond super strength. Although he is part of this super team, The Thing is maybe the most loved. In his own way, he's funny and who doesn't like a man made of rock kicking ass.

Published by Marvel Comics in 1961 and created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, The Fantastic Four was and has always been a hit with fans. There were endness TV shows on Saturday morning kids viewing and in 2005 the group got their own feature film with a follow up bringing in the Silver Surfer.

The Toxic Avenger The Toxic Avenger was a horror/comedy from 1984 about a little man named Melvin Ferd who by way of a drum of toxic waste that he falls into, turns him into the superpowered Toxic Avenger. With his trusty cleaning mop that he wields as a weapon, this tongue and cheek movie is from the good people at Troma Entertainment who are known best for making off the wall fun little movies that make you giggle your ass off. Being something of Troma's flag ship movie and hero, The Toxic Avenger has become over the years since its release a cult film and fan favorite of all the Troma films.....and there's a lot too.

Much like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Toxic Avenger really didn't take off as a big movie until well after its release. It took the movie being played at midnight shows that slowly gained its fan base at New York's Bleecker Street Cinemas. Since then, The Toxic Avenger went on to become a short lived kids TV series, an off Broadway stage musical and two movie sequels.

Swamp Thing In the DC comic "House of Secrets", a new character was introduced in Issue #92 of July 1971. This new hero or monster if you will was called Swamp Thing, a creature half man half plant who lived far out in the swamps where no one dare to roam. Looking like a giant walking moss covered humanoid, Swamp Thing really hit his best years in the 80's and early 90's. The year 1982 saw his first feature film and a string of new comic books staring the plant man. The ‘82 movie was followed by a sequel in 1989 and a live action TV series in 1990. Both films and the series stared actor Dick Durock as the beast of the marshes who used the same monster suit for both the series and movie number two. Durock also played in an episode of "The Incredible Hulk" TV series as a Hulk like creature who like David Banner is turned into a big green pissed off monster.

Like with The Hulk, Swamp Thing was once human, a doctor who worked out in the marshes to help better the plant life but as in all these stories something goes very wrong and he is turned into a monster. Yet unlike with The Hulk this monster keeps his mind and his humanity and knowns just who he is. Saddly though unlike The Hulk, this creature never can again change back into human form and must roam the swamps alone protecting the wildlife from the evil of man.

The Vampires

Blade (see BMR issue #44 for Blades Creature Feature) This super bad ass vampire hero was born half vampire with a human mother giving him all the best of both worlds. He is fast, strong and unlike any of the night creatures he hunts...he is known as "The Daywalker" by the vampires that fear him. Blade is the bad ass of all bad ass super hero's and one of the coolest comic book creations ever made. He was the brain child of comic book writer Marv Wolfman (yes really his name) for Marvel Comics in 1973. His very first comic book appearance was in a book called "The Tomb of Dracula" and was nothing more than a supporting character. Soon though his path to super hero history would come with a series of books, three feature films and two TV series one live action and the other animated.

Born Eric Brooks, Blade grew up a day walking vampire running the streets in both the light and the dark not knowning fully what he was until he was found my his foster father, a man named Abraham Whistler. It was Whistler who took in the young boy Eric and trained him in weapons, the fighting arts and hunting the undead turning him into the thing even the vampires feared most.....Blade. The first three films starred actor Wesley Snipes as the vampire hunter. Rapper Kirk "Stickly Fingers" Jones starred in the TV series both written and created by screenwriter David S. Goyer. The fighting skills of actor Wesley Snipes with traning in Shotokan Karate, Hapkido and Kung Fu all served well in making the actor the kick ass vampire killer Blade that he was in the three movies. No one better could have pulled it off more than Snipes. The live action TV series too also was bold in the fighting with rapper turned actor Kirk Jones now taking up the long black leather coat and silver laced ninja sword. Like comic book hero's such as Batman and Spawn, Blade is one of the darkest and most coolest hero's ever created.

Vampirlla (see BMR Issue #48 for Vampirlla's Creature Feature) She came from a dying planet far out in space where rivers of blood flowed like water. She and her kind, all vampires lay dying when a ship from Earth crash lands on her world and she makes a discovery. The young and lovely Vampirlla finds that all the men on this ship brought with them her and her peoples food souce with them......namely blood within their veins. After feeding her needs, she now the only one left alive or undead...what have you takes the ship back to its home world where the dark haired lovly finds a whole world of red blooded happy meals waiting for her. Though a vampire, she is not willing to kill for her meals and only takes what she needs to live herself. Only feeding on those who do evil, this vampire do gooder sets out to help man kind and not over feed herself as one may think. After all she is the hero of these stories.

Vampirlla is the creation of magazine editor Forrest J. Ackerman best known as the editor of the long running and father of all monster magazines "Famous Monsters of Filmland." When working for Warren Publishing, Ackerman was asked to create a new comic book for their expanding horror comic book line and spin off of Famous Monsters. Acherman wanted to use a new female hero for his new book and one that was a vampire. In the end was a red clad, dark haired young pretty who was as deadly as she was hot. The now legendary red leather thong that Vampirlla hardly wears was believe it or not designed by a woman named Trina Robbins. I mean who would have thought in 1969 a chic would have created such an outfit.....but come on...are we not glad she did!

Dark Avengers

The Crow When rock musician Eric Dravan and his girlfriend are murdered by a gang of thugs, they never thought twice that the man they had just killed would come for them from the after life. It is said that if you die by the evil deeds of others that sometimes....just sometimes a crow who is said to have brought the dead to the the after life can then return them to right the wrong of there own murder. One year after Eric was thrown from his apartment window, he finds himself crawling from his own grave to the sight of a large black crow purched atop his headstone. The bird has brought him back to seek revenge on those's who killed him and to revenge the death of his beloved Shelly. Now this avenging angel one by one hunts down the men who killed him until they all fall to his wrath.

Unlike most comic book heroes, this story is more of a getting even kind of tale than catching the bad guys with lets say Batman. This very dark hero was the creation of writer/artist James O'Barr for this series of graphic novels and comic that began in 1989. The Crow as an avenger is best known for his triad mark gothic clown make-up and black leather garments. He is a skilled fighter and even when shot he can not die.

In 1994 The Crow movie was released and although the film was a hit, it carried with it sad undertones of the very real death of its main star. While shooting a scene, actor Brandon Lee (son of the great Bruce Lee) was killed by a dummy bullet which was fired into his abdomen killing the 28 year old actor. The Crow then spawned a follow up movie "The Crow: City of Angels" and a short lived TV series.

Batman (see BMR Issue #35 for Batman's Creature Feature) He is the Dark Knight, the winged avenger of the people and the protector of Gotham City. By day, he is billionaire Bruce Wayne but when the night casts its shadows, he dons his cape and cowl and takes to the streets in his super powered transport The Batmobile. Created in 1939 by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger with a first comic appeance in Detective Comics#27. Batman soon went on to star in not only his own comic books but also eight live action movies, one live action TV series, endless amounts of animated TV series and an array of animated movies as well.

If the word cool was to be used for a superhero, that word would be used for Batman. He is the thinking mans hero. Not only can he get the bad guys but he is also the worlds greatest detective as well. Unlike other super heroes in the comics that wear spandex, masks and fight crime after the crime is already in action, Batman will figure it all out before hand and then spring into action. Also unlike any of the dark heroes on this list..... Batman is completely human and has no super power at all. The only thing he has going for him is the power of his mind, his skills, gizmos, weapons and well.....his money too to get the job done.

Dark Man Long before film director Sam Raimi shot Spider Man, there was his first path taken into the world of the super hero. In 1990 the movie Dark Man opened with star Liam Neeson playing scientist Peyton Westlake who was working on a new project to create human skin for burned victims not knowing that soon he too would need his own treatment. When nearly killed by the bad guys of the film, Westlake is turned into a Phantom of the Opera look-a-like who must hide his face of horror from the world. Once brought into the hospital, his doctors, to help in his pain cut off all nerves in his body resulting in his not feeling any pain at all. This cause and effect make the now Dark Man stronger than normal as he feels nothing and his plight as a whole is making him slowly go mad.

As he seeks revenge for the men who tried to kill him.....sort of like The Crow, Dark Man hunts them one by one dressed in an old black over coat and his face hidden under mummy like wrappings. Adding to his mystique is the fact that Dark Man uses the rubber face skin that he invented to disguise himself as members of the gang who tried to kill him in order to get in close before striking. Dark Man went on to star in two more movies that went direct to video.

They are not be the blue eyed, good boy super hero dressed in bright red, white & blue or follow all the rules. They are of a darker breed of hero who in their own way fight for the rights of others even though they are themselves monsters and are shunned by all humanity. They are The Dark Heroes of the comics, the movies, TV and sometimes all three. They are the Dark Heroes and for the fans of horror, they are our super heroes.